May 7, 2010 8:56 AM

I am on the last day of week 4. I was running on a treadmill but I decided to start outside to better prepare for my 5k in June. I have a bruise on the inside of my ankle from my shoes, which are probably a year old. I know I need new ones. My legs are so sore I wanna just stop, breathing is no problem. What kind of shoes do you guys wear to run in? I dont wanna buy something and it b a waste of money. I wanna get the right shoes! Thank you!

Try to find a running store near you and have them fit you. Believe me good running shoes will cost you less than a trip to the doc. I personally wear asics and only the specific running type with the gel and I buy two pair at a time. I find they give me great arch support. One runner told me that when you find the right shoe for you your feet will feel like their in heaven and this brand does just that for me.

I just purchased a pair of Asics GT 2140's and so far, I love them! They have the gel in them and are very confortable. I originally had purchased a pair of NB running shoes, but I ended up hurting my ankle on the treadmill running in them. I beleive it was because I tend to somewhat overpronate when I run and there just wasn;t any arch support in them. You have to decide what type of foot you have and how you run to get the right shoe for you. Shop around too, b/c everystore has different styles and brands. I was told Asics are the #1 running shoe, so I decided to give them a try. So far so good. Good Luck!!

Within each shoe brand are different types of shoes for different types of feet and pronation. It's not just a New Balance vs ASIC vs Nike thing - they each have shoes in the "neutral", "stability", or "motion control" category, etc.

For example, Nike Air Pegasus is Neutral, Nike Zoom Structure is Stability, and Nike Zoom Neucleus is Motion Control.

You need to figure out whether you pronate too much, too little, or just right.

First off, DON'T get discouraged. It's common to run and then have issues that are (possibly) due to the shoes you are using. I have only been "running" for 2 years; I ran in NB 644's (for 1.5 mile timed runs) and they were great.. when I stepped up to 5k's I got some Asic Fluent's (I have really high arches) and they've been fine. Now that I have much more experience and 100 miles on my current set I am DEAD set on going to a running store when I get my next pair - here I have Runner's ROOST and the Boulder Running company to name two. They can do an arch test and analyze your gait (on a computer they can analyze your stride tendencies from analysis from you running on their treadmill) and offer several shoes for you. When I started, I thought this was just for serious runners and I felt uncomfortable about going in given my ability and training. But after boatloads of research, I'm convinced that getting a great pair may require the use of a serious running store. And as has been mentioned; the $20-30 premium on a pair (and more likely less...) of a shoes that you may be able to get elsewhere is easily worth getting the experience, analysis and knowledge of salespeople who cater to Runners. If this is not the route you go and/or you may want to look into inserts or orthotics.

Sorry for the long post. Enjoy your 5k training you'll be stoked in June when you finish!

Lastly, if you do choose this route; make sure you bring in your current pair of running shoes for them to see the wear patterns.

If your shoes are a year old, the answer to your need for new shoes is go and get them NOW. A pair of running shoes lasts between 350-400 miles in my mind. I can barely get three months out of my shoes, but I generically run 20-25 miles/week.

A good way to tell when they are getting old is that your body starts to ache for no good reason, another way is to watch the wear on your treads.

Oh and yes, go to a specialty run shop, (not Dicks) and get fitted for shoes. The shoes I love and feel like clouds on my feet may not work for you or worse cause you injuries depending on your arches, foot, gait. If your run shop is like mine, you can often get on their VIP list and get coupons or discounts like I do. My favorite shop I automatically get 20-25% off because of my gym membership. Another favorite shop I often get 25% off coupons because I'm on that VIP list, and btw, the VIP list is FREE. Also, not to belabor the point, but the service at a specialty shop will be FAR better than Dicks.